White Heart, Lakota Spirit

Reviewed by Jennifer Linane © 2006

Wild Child Publishing.com © 2006

Title: White Heart, Lakota Spirit
Author: Ginger Simpson
Publisher: Wings ePress
Genre: Historical Romance
ISBN Number (if applicable): 1-59705-980-3
Release date: November 05
Author's website: Ginger Simpson

Grace is a young woman traveling with her family in the West following her father's desire to find gold and strike it rich. One morning, their family is attacked by Lakota Indians and Grace's parents and her brother are killed. Grace is spared by one of the braves, Little Elk, who stops another from killing her. Instead, she is taken as a captive to the Lakota's camp.

Grace is given to Little Elk, the nephew of the tribal leader. She lives with him, expected to perform the daily chores that are required of a spouse, yet Little Elk keeps his distance from her. He is a kind man, who is attracted to Grace, and wants to give her time to adjust to her new life with the Lakotas.

The loss of her family and the brutal way they were killed haunt Grace. The warrior responsible for the attack on her family is shunned by the tribe, punishment for attacking her family without cause. This action makes Grace realize that the Indians were not savages, as she had been taught to believe. The Lakotas are like any other race - some good, some bad.

Eventually, Grace heals from the loss of her family and assimilates into the tribe. She is helped by Green Eyes, the tribe leader's spouse. Green Eyes is a white woman, who fell in love with a Lakota brave and left the white's world to marry her love and live amongst the tribe. She shows Grace how to perform the chores expected of her and teaches her about the Lakota language, customs and way of life.

As Grace grows more comfortable, she realizes how well Little Elk treats her. He gives her time to grieve and learn of their ways. He is gentle with her, and she falls in love with him. They acknowledge their love for one another, and he takes Grace as his spouse.

At this time, the Indian world is forced to defend themselves from the white soldiers attacking villages and driving the Indians onto reservations. The Lakota warriors join with other tribes and fight against the soldiers, leaving the elderly, and women and children behind. While the men are gone, the camp is attacked by soldiers who take Grace prisoner because she is white. She is taken to a fort and kept there against her will, but she dreams of reuniting with Little Elk and her friends.

Grace is a well-rounded character. She is immediately sympathetic because of her plight in becoming a captive and her angst over the deaths of her family. As she learns to put her prejudices aside, and realizes that the slaughter of her family was an act of a renegade warrior, the reader watches her grow. The writer shows Grace's steps as she goes through bereavement into acceptance, and then into love with Little Elk.

While the plot is a familiar one, the author keeps the story fresh by providing many details about the Lakota way of life and by writing identifiable characters. This information draws us into Grace's world as she struggles to assimilate and find her place with the tribe, giving the reader a clear visual of the setting. The love between Grace and Little Elk is believable, and the relationship between Green Eyes and Lone Eagle is warm and devoted.

The author avoids stereotypes, choosing instead to show both good and evil in the white world and the Lakota world. The theme of acceptance is refreshing, and although this is a historical e-book, it is still timely.

Rating: 4 Cats

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To find out more about how to purchase White Heart, Lakota Spirit, visit Ginger Simpson's website.